Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease

Introduction: Current guidelines recommend using high-intensity statins in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Guideline directed statin intensity (GDSI) implementation and ASCVD outcomes may differ by sex. We evaluated sex-based differences in GDSI use and recurrent ASCVD...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Agnes Koczo, Jianhui Zhu, Floyd Thoma, Maha Mumtaz, Steven Reis, Oscar Marroquin, Kathryn Berlacher, Erin D. Michos, Suresh Mulukutla, Anum Saeed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:American Journal of Preventive Cardiology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666667725001503
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849229268038451200
author Agnes Koczo
Jianhui Zhu
Floyd Thoma
Maha Mumtaz
Steven Reis
Oscar Marroquin
Kathryn Berlacher
Erin D. Michos
Suresh Mulukutla
Anum Saeed
author_facet Agnes Koczo
Jianhui Zhu
Floyd Thoma
Maha Mumtaz
Steven Reis
Oscar Marroquin
Kathryn Berlacher
Erin D. Michos
Suresh Mulukutla
Anum Saeed
author_sort Agnes Koczo
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Current guidelines recommend using high-intensity statins in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Guideline directed statin intensity (GDSI) implementation and ASCVD outcomes may differ by sex. We evaluated sex-based differences in GDSI use and recurrent ASCVD outcomes in a large healthcare network. Methods: Using electronic medical records, we assessed statin use and intensity in a cohort of patients with established coronary artery disease (coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention) between 2010-2022. Statins were categorized into GDSI (high intensity), <GDSI (moderate or low intensity) or no statin use. Outcomes of interest included recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), stroke/TIA and all-cause mortality. Incident rates (IR) and Cox regression hazard ratios (HR) of ASCVD outcomes were calculated across statin categories, stratified by sex. Results: We amassed data from 45,949 patients, of which 31 % were women. Women had more diabetes (29 % vs 24 %) and higher low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] (94.9 ± 40.8 vs 87.6 ± 37.1 mg/dL) than men. During a follow-up period of ∼5 years, women were less likely to be started on GDSI (61.6 % vs 65.8 %, p<0.01) and achieve LDL-C<70mg/dL (41 % vs and 49 %, p<0.01) as compared to men. GDSI use lowered IRs for all outcomes in both sexes. As compared to men, women on GDSI had higher risk of MI (HR 1.21 [1.12-1.31)], stroke (1.21 [1.08-1.34] and mortality (1.12 [1.05-1.20]), all p<0.01). Conclusions: In a contemporary cohort of patients with coronary artery disease, women were less likely to be prescribed GDSI than men and less likely to achieve guideline concordant LDL-C<70mg/dL. This was associated with a higher risk of recurrent ASCVD events in women as compared to men. More sex specific interventions are needed to ensure adequate preventive treatment for both sexes.
format Article
id doaj-art-d28f2381a966450285f68bf2d5adcf14
institution Kabale University
issn 2666-6677
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series American Journal of Preventive Cardiology
spelling doaj-art-d28f2381a966450285f68bf2d5adcf142025-08-22T04:58:27ZengElsevierAmerican Journal of Preventive Cardiology2666-66772025-09-012310107510.1016/j.ajpc.2025.101075Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery diseaseAgnes Koczo0Jianhui Zhu1Floyd Thoma2Maha Mumtaz3Steven Reis4Oscar Marroquin5Kathryn Berlacher6Erin D. Michos7Suresh Mulukutla8Anum Saeed9University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAJohns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Heart and Vascular Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Corresponding author at: 200 Lothrop St, BST 17, VMI, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.Introduction: Current guidelines recommend using high-intensity statins in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Guideline directed statin intensity (GDSI) implementation and ASCVD outcomes may differ by sex. We evaluated sex-based differences in GDSI use and recurrent ASCVD outcomes in a large healthcare network. Methods: Using electronic medical records, we assessed statin use and intensity in a cohort of patients with established coronary artery disease (coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention) between 2010-2022. Statins were categorized into GDSI (high intensity), <GDSI (moderate or low intensity) or no statin use. Outcomes of interest included recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), stroke/TIA and all-cause mortality. Incident rates (IR) and Cox regression hazard ratios (HR) of ASCVD outcomes were calculated across statin categories, stratified by sex. Results: We amassed data from 45,949 patients, of which 31 % were women. Women had more diabetes (29 % vs 24 %) and higher low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] (94.9 ± 40.8 vs 87.6 ± 37.1 mg/dL) than men. During a follow-up period of ∼5 years, women were less likely to be started on GDSI (61.6 % vs 65.8 %, p<0.01) and achieve LDL-C<70mg/dL (41 % vs and 49 %, p<0.01) as compared to men. GDSI use lowered IRs for all outcomes in both sexes. As compared to men, women on GDSI had higher risk of MI (HR 1.21 [1.12-1.31)], stroke (1.21 [1.08-1.34] and mortality (1.12 [1.05-1.20]), all p<0.01). Conclusions: In a contemporary cohort of patients with coronary artery disease, women were less likely to be prescribed GDSI than men and less likely to achieve guideline concordant LDL-C<70mg/dL. This was associated with a higher risk of recurrent ASCVD events in women as compared to men. More sex specific interventions are needed to ensure adequate preventive treatment for both sexes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666667725001503ASCVDSex disparitiesWomen's cardiovascular healthCoronary artery diseaseStatins
spellingShingle Agnes Koczo
Jianhui Zhu
Floyd Thoma
Maha Mumtaz
Steven Reis
Oscar Marroquin
Kathryn Berlacher
Erin D. Michos
Suresh Mulukutla
Anum Saeed
Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease
American Journal of Preventive Cardiology
ASCVD
Sex disparities
Women's cardiovascular health
Coronary artery disease
Statins
title Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease
title_full Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease
title_fullStr Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease
title_full_unstemmed Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease
title_short Sex differences in guideline-based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease
title_sort sex differences in guideline based statin utilization and recurrent events in patients with known coronary artery disease
topic ASCVD
Sex disparities
Women's cardiovascular health
Coronary artery disease
Statins
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666667725001503
work_keys_str_mv AT agneskoczo sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT jianhuizhu sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT floydthoma sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT mahamumtaz sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT stevenreis sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT oscarmarroquin sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT kathrynberlacher sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT erindmichos sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT sureshmulukutla sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease
AT anumsaeed sexdifferencesinguidelinebasedstatinutilizationandrecurrenteventsinpatientswithknowncoronaryarterydisease